cw: lots of trauma, more specific warnings below

[obsidien]

Who: Anyone and everyone. Plus Sid I guess.
When: uhhhh let's say day 3, early morning
Where: The Aurora's lounge
[[ ooc: this memory contains violence, death, dehumanization, harming a child and threatening further harm on said child, religious fanaticism, and generally people being unrepentant assholes. please skip over this one if you don't want to deal with any of the above! ]]

[ There's something new at the lounge of the Aurora. The screen turns on by itself-- hey look, it's a movie! But not a movie anyone's seen before. It's a memory-- not that anyone knows that yet.

Conveniently, the owner of such a grisly memory-- a Jasmine man in long, flowing robes if anyone is paying attention to teams and their colours-- is just outside the lounge, frozen in place as if he's just taken a step towards the door. He wouldn't have been such a problem to move around given his figure... though he does have his large sword still strapped to his back, and that's more of an obstacle than the man himself.

The scenery, a plain at the foot of a mountain range with lush grass and tall, healthy trees, could have been a wonderful vista if it weren't for the grim gathering. Two horned, draconic people with black scales, horns and tails are kneeling before a large tree stump, hands behind their backs. Their robes-- haori and hakama-- are worn and filthy, clearly having been through much. A wooden wagon sits not too far beyond them, though there is a tall, svelte man with long limbs and pointed ears, and chainmail armour with blue trim carrying a torch, and he clearly has every intention of setting it ablaze.

The tall draconic man is looking up at the knights, more tall and slender people accompanied by shorter, more conventional "humans" in the same armour, but the petite and delicate-looking draconic woman is looking straight at the viewer. In fact, the view is rather low, rather close to the ground that there's more ground to see than sky and trees... But every person present is in full view.

There's only one odd person out among the knights, and that man is one of the pointy-eared folk, dressed in priest's robes. He has a book of scripture (not adorned with a cross but a symbol made of three spears) in hand, and a look of utter disgust on his face. The way he speaks, he sounds like a noble, with soft R's and pronounced vowels, an accent rather like a certain someone currently in the Aurora. "For the crimes of heresy and being dragonspawn, you shall be put to death by the sword! It is too late for any of you to be sentenced to Witchdrop!"

The draconic man struggles against his bonds, but is pushed down roughly, his horns knocking loudly against the tree stump. Still, he manages to choke out, "Not our son-- please, spare Sidurgu!"

The holy man's sneer turns even uglier. "Take the adults first, and make that abomination of theirs watch before you put your blade to it."

"No!" That's a child's voice, masculine, but still so young that it hasn't even cracked yet in the way a teenaged boy's would.

The mother runs towards the viewer, towards her son, clearly attempting to block any assault on him, but fails, and she's the first to die, rather than her husband who is already on the literal chopping block. She's beheaded by one of the knights. The same knight who kicks the boy down when he tries to run for her body and leaving the view blurry for several seconds as the boy catches his breath.

The draconic man is next, going the same way as his wife, and his body is kicked off of the stump. The boy is now being dragged towards the stump, the scenery moving that the boy's sight is blurring-- or is it because he's panicking, panting so hard yet unable to keep breath in him?-- the situation escalating quickly, and there is a lot of blood in the grass...

Then a shadow seems to descend on the group-- literally. A pointy-eared old man in black armour crashes down onto the group and systematically begins beheading all the adults with a sword longer than he is tall.

The last thing to be seen before the screen goes blank once more is the newcomer reaching for the boy and pulling him upright.

If you don't want to see the whole thing and just get the big dragon idiot out of the way... You're in for a ride.

You could try to move around him, or move him-- but good luck with the latter, he's about seven feet tall after all, and heavy at that. And catching his attention or waking him from his blank look is impossible until the memory playing on-screen is over. He's completely unresponsive and the only indication that he's alive is his slow and steady breathing. Have fun trying to wake him up! Or dealing with him in the aftermath. ]

Comments

[aimforthestars]

So that's how memories work, hm...

[This Clover is just sitting off to the side, not really planning to approach or get around either way.]

[obsidien]

[Sidurgu shakes himself alert, a full-body shiver starting from his head all the way to his tail, making it flail out. A few breaths later and he's collected enough of himself to not turn into a pile of dragon mush over what he's just seen in his head.

But then he realises he's not alone, and bares his teeth in a growl.]

What do you want? [Someone still hasn't realised his memory was right out there for everyone to see.

Doesn't he look so much like his parents?]

[aimforthestars]

[Sometimes, there are things like coincidences. And also you know, maybe he looks like a whole bunch of other tall scaly dragon people, who is he to judge.]

Cake sounds pretty good!

[obsidien]

[He just... has to make a disgusted sound in his throat.]

Go bloody get cake on your own then-- why you told me such, I'll never know.

[aimforthestars]

Well, there are other options to talk about, but I feel like there is just something appealing about cake in ways that other subjects cannot really compare.

[also ur in my way]

[obsidien]

As I've said, just go bloody get your cake. [Why is Sidurgu even wasting his time...]

[nihilmancy]

[Tabby watches the images silently for a moment, not letting herself look away. It would feel disrespectful to. Of course memories aren't always good ones. She knew that, maybe even expected that in her case, but...

Will it really be okay to show all the awful things in her life to the world? She glances expressionlessly at Sidurgu, looking for his reaction.]

[obsidien]

[His reaction is... slow. Dragging himself out of the daze of reliving the memory is difficult, much like pulling out of a nightmare that wont let you go. It starts as a full-body shake, beginning from his head all the way to his tail making the end of it flick outward.

Then he doubles over and shakes his head again, this time almost violently. And he growls, because that wasn't pleasant.

But when he realises he has company, he bares his teeth at her.]

[nihilmancy]

[She backs away reflexively- he's quite large and intimidating, and looks angry- but she looks more curious than frightened.]

It's fine. I won't say anything, and I won't pity you.

[obsidien]

Perhaps you shouldn't have spoken at all.

[But it's too late, they're already speaking, and he wont get anywhere with pointing it out, despite his sheer irritation at the entire situation. At everything. Her. Himself.

His accent is entirely much like the speech of the nobles and knights in the memory though, and not at all like his parents'.]

Or just moved right along. [Really, it would have made him feel better if he were alone when he woke up.]

[nihilmancy]

[There's a note of irritation in her own voice. The nerve of some people, when you're trying to be polite!]

Perhaps. It's a shame you share this vehicle with roughly three dozen people, isn't it?

[obsidien]

[Supremely unimpressed with that response.]

And 'tis my luck to have a nosy tosser be the one come along and watch rather than leave, aye?

[nihilmancy]

This is a public car, in case you forgot. I was extending a courtesy, and you choose to behave like a child.

[She doesn't even understand why his petty sarcasm annoys her so- why could one gloomy, aloof, self-hating person be bothered when they see behavior that reminds them of what they worry about for themselves, right?]

[obsidien]

Clearly you've no true sense of courtesy, then.

[He flicks his hand, as if shooing her away.]

[nihilmancy]

My courtesy was to behave as if you did not want to be coddled or treated differently for what has been seen. I suppose I was wrong though, and you simply wish to sulk.

[Walking off so that she can regret saying that later.]

[hissoff]

[ This Clover is also sitting off to the side and not really planning to approach or get around him. .... Clovers may just Be Like This.

well, he wasn't planning on leaving the lounge today as it was but. ]

Ah, I see... what poor taste.

[obsidien]

[He's starting to be annoyed with all the people in pink, yes.

And it's only unfortunate that it's this Clover he sees when the memory is done.]

Oh, go bugger off somewhere.

[hissoff]

I was here first.

[ he apparently has not left the lounge since yesterday, ]

Dragonbutt.

[obsidien]

How godsdamned inventive, using a word that has not the sting of an insult.

[Sidurgu has no interest in continuing to indulge this brat with an argument, especially when he knows he's indeed a dragon-- no need to be offended over something that is so obviously true. He's leaving.]

[hissoff]

On the contrary, it's a name.

I've been dubbed "scalebutt", so I think I'll start calling you "dragonbutt"!

lmk if this is okay!

[voreaciously]

[Amane watches the memory play in the lounge, not knowing what it is, hoping that it might be more information about why they're here, perhaps particulars for their next assignment.

It isn't.

She would not have watched it if she'd known, but she is caught now, unable to move and her eyes wide.

'That's because it is him.'

Something seizes in her chest and she grips it with trembling fingers before she forces it all down, all of it, all of it.

She gets up to leave and that is when she sees her teammate.

He is not moving, lost in a nightmare and she isn't certain what to do. This is not Katsuki, she isn't certain how to manoeuvre, but he's still her teammate. She should try. She starts to sing, her voice gentle, haunting, and inhuman in the way it's layered. The words cannot be understood if there are any at all, but there's an order in the music. A compulsion.]

Wake up.

you're fine o7

[obsidien]

[Sidurgu shakes his head violently, unsettled more by the voice than the memory. It feels off, entirely wrong to him, and he dislikes it.

(But really, what doesn't he dislike about this entire situation?)]

Cease that noise!

[voreaciously]

[She stops abruptly without his say, her hand reaching for her throat for a moment. She trembles as though in pain, and her voice is strained.]

...My apologies.

[She straightens smoothly, but her voice is very quiet.]

I did not know what else to do.

[obsidien]

[The sound was entirely unpleasant to his brain, and he thinks it still rings in his horns. Oh, but he dislikes it so.]

Mayhap you could have just left. [Despite this location being entirely public, people here have absolutely no sense of decency, and it's driving him utterly mad.]

[voreaciously]

You are my teammate. It was unseemly to do so, to me.

[obsidien]

I care not a whit for that shite. You can shove off next time.

[voreaciously]

[She does not want to be a nuisance and after that, she could understand him wanting his space, and so she will give it to him.

But he seems the type to always want it, and that is...honestly very relatable, but impossible.]

...You will need to care. But I know now is not the time to discuss it. I am 80H. [she curtsies, her head bowed.]

I did not have time to acquaint mysel properly with all that's happened.

[obsidien]

How bloody nice for you. [She's so proper. Too proper, and it grates on his teeth like claws on a hard, unyielding surface.]

[voreaciously]

...My apologies once more, sir. [There is no salvaging this now, she thinks. She isn't anything to him, understandably. Best not dig that hole deeper.]

I will leave you be. Please excuse me, then.

[She cannot really get around him, but she makes to move.]

[obsidien]

[Sidurgu practically growls at her, looking entirely the dragon he and his family were accused of being. And he himself stalks away, tail flicking up and down in agitation behind him. He really has no patience for this.

Though she's lucky that she got away with just that.]